By GB News (World News) | Created at 2025-04-02 18:58:22 | Updated at 2025-04-03 16:16:38
21 hours ago
A GP has described NHS survey results showing public dissatisfaction as "a pleasant surprise" that could potentially lead to reform of the health service.
Speaking on GB News, Dr Laurence Gerlis welcomed the findings, saying they marked "a change from banging saucepans on a Thursday evening."
He suggested the public has finally caught up with what healthcare professionals have known for some time.
"I think the public has caught up with reality that we've known for a long time and I think this may herald a change," Dr Gerlis told GB News.
Dr Laurence Gerlis has admitted it is 'not surprising' that patient satisfaction in the NHS is at a record low
GB News / PA
Patient satisfaction with NHS has hit a record low of 21 per cent, a new survey has found
PA
Instead, Dr Gerlis offered a stark prediction about the future of the health service: "We're just going to watch the managed decline of the health service over the next 20 years and partly that's a public fault, because of unreasonable expectation and demand," he warned.
The GP emphasised that he was "not a political person" but pointed to concerning trends in healthcare usage.
He noted that the sheer numbers of people using the health service has increased significantly in recent years: "20 years ago the average person saw their GP three times a year, now it's ten times a year," Dr Gerlis revealed.
He expressed concern about what he sees as excessive use of healthcare services: "I just think people rush to the doctor every five minutes."
Dr Gerlis warned of a 'managed decline' in the NHS over the next 20 years
GB News
Dr Gerlis suggested adopting a system similar to that used in France as a potential solution.
"The French system would be a good one, where you pay 30 per cent of the total costs and the government pays 70 per cent and you can use insurance to get the rest back," he explained.
He believes this approach would create "a barrier to entry" that could make a difference in reducing demand.
"If we got rid of all prescription charges at £10 per item but replaced it with a simple one or two pounds by item, with no exemptions whatsoever, you would see a dramatic decrease in demand," he said.
Dr Gerlis noted that currently "90 per cent of prescriptions are dispensed free of charge."
He claimed doctors often prescribe basic medications like paracetamol because "they feel sorry for patients". This practice, he argued, wastes doctors' time and NHS resources, leaving "medicine cabinets full of unused drugs."
